Shock-absorber.



H. B. KEIPER. SHOCK ABSORBER. APPLICATION PPLPD MAY a, 1914,

Patented Feb.2,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

ITHE MORRIS PETERS COA. FlIaTo-LITHQ. WASHINGION, D.

H. B. KEIPER.

SHOCK ABSORBER.

APPLmATIoN FILED MAY 8, 1914.

l yl'l v Patented Feb. 2, 1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. v

HENRY B. KEIPER, OF LANCASTER, l?ENNSYLVANIA.`

sHocx-Aissomann.

Speciication of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 19155.

Application led May 8, 1914. Serial N o. 837,314;

To @ZZ whom t may concern Be it known that I, HENRY B. KEIPER, a citizenof the United States, residing at Lancaster, in the county of Lancasterand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Shock-Absorbers; and I hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention relates to shock absorbers or devices for controlling ormodifying the action of vehicle springs so as to prevent the suddenrebound or return of the springs to their initial position and diminishthe shocks or vibrations incidentl to traveling over rough roads or rutsor obstacles in the roadway.

rIhe objects of the invention are to provide a simple, inexpensive andefficient device of the character referred to, adapted to yieldinglyresist any force tending to compress or expand the supporting-springs ofa vehicle and insure the return of the springs to their initialpositions in such manner as to relieve the vehicle body and occupants ofthe vehicle of suddenV shocks or jars and prevent injury to or weakeningor breakage of the springs which so frequently results under theconditions above mentioned.

The invention will first be hereinafter more particularly described,with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are to be taken as apart of this specification, and then pointed out in the claims at theend of the description.

In said drawings, Figure l is an edge or front view of a shock absorberembodying my invention, showing in distended or eX- panded position thelever-arms which connect the vehicle frame or body and spring, or theleaves of a spring; Fig. 2 is a sectional side elevation of the same,the section being taken on the line 2 2 of Fig. l, looking in thedirection of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view on aslightly enlarged scale, on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, looking in thedirection indicated by the arrows; Fig. 4 is a transverse section takenon the line 4 4 of Fig. 2, looking downward, or in the directionindicated yby the arrows; Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on theline 5 5 of Fig. 2, also looking downward, as indicated by the arrows;Fig.

side elevation of a modified the section being 6 is a sectional form ofthe invention, taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 7, looking in the directionindicated by the arrows; Fig. 7 is an edge or front View of theaforesaid modification; and Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on the line8 8 of Fig. 6, as seen from the rear, or looking in the direction of thearrows.

Referring to the drawings, in which the same reference characters orfigures are used to denote corresponding parts in dierent views, 3 and 4denote lever-arms which are fulcrumed on a short shaft or bolt l, onwhich are mounted friction plates 2, which, as shown, are formed orprovided on their inner faces with serrations or parallel ribs 2a andintervening grooves or channels adapted to engage correspondingly ribbedand grooved or serrated outerfaces ofl adj acent friction plates 5,which latter preferably consist of inner metallicvplates faced withwooden portions suitably ribbed and grooved to engage the ribbed andgrooved surfaces of the friction plates 2. The friction plates 2 may besubstantially rectangular in form, as shown, though other forms may beemployed, and the. sliding plates 5 may be arranged in pairs on'oppositesides of, or above and below, the fulcrum shaft or bolt 1,'assuming thedevice to be arranged in the position shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings,lin which position the ribs 2a extend perpendicularly to the fulcrumshaft. Said plates 5 are adapted to be slid toward and fromeach other infrictional engagement with the plates 2 by means of studs or projectionson the levers 3 and 4 engaging oblong slots 5b in said plates. To thisend the lever 8 is formed or provided at each side thereof with bossesor projections on opposite sides of its fulcrum,one of which projectionsextends beyond the adjacent lever and terminates in a stud or pintle 3aengaging one of the oblong slots 5b in one of the plates 5, which forconvenience will be termed the upper plate, while a similar stud orpintle 3b projecting from the opposite side of said lever engagesanother oblong slot 5b in the sliding plate 5 at the opposite side ofthe lever. Similar bosses or projections formed or provided on the shortarm or free end of the lever 3, terminate in studs or pintles 3C and 3d,which engage similar slots in the plates 5 which are arranged below thepivot or fiilcrum of the lever, so and v5, to give necessary play orfreedom of that when said lever is moved on'its fulcruin movement' tothe lever arms 3 and 4 and the upper and lower plates will be movedcompensate for the varying distance betoward or from each otheraccording to the tween the fulcrum and the pivotal connec- 5 directionin which the lever is moved. rlhe tions of the levers with the plates 5.70 co-acting lever 4 is also formed or provided ln the modificationshown in Figs. 6 to 8 at each side thereof with bosses or projecof thedrawings, the friction plates'21 are tions on opposite sides of itsfulcrum, one each provided With an arm 41, and these of whichprojections extends beyond the larms' are connected together at 2b andconstil@ outer sideof the lever 3 and terminates in tute, in effect, alever corresponding with the 75 a stud or pintle 4b engaging a slot 51in one lever 4 in Fig. 2, adapted for connection of the plates 5 belowthe pivot bolt or fulwith one part of the vehicle, another part of crum,while a similar stud or pintle 4a prowhich is connectedwith the lever31. Thelever jecting from the opposite side of said lever 31 ispivotally supported or fulcrumed on the engages one of the slots 5b inthe sliding studbolt or shaft 1 so as to twing between 80 plate 5 at theopposite side of the lever, and the arms 41, Land is provided Aat eachside other bosses or projections formed or prothereof onv opposite sidesof its fulcrum with vided on the short arm or free end of .thelateralbosses or projections which terminate lever 4 terminate in studsor pintles 4c and in studs or pintles adapted to engage ob- 41, whichengage slots inthe plates 5 arlongslotsin the sliding plates 51, saidslid- ,85

ranged above the pivot bolt, so, that when `ing plates being formed orprovided with said lever swings on its fulcrum it will op-` ser-ratedyor ribbed and grooved outer faces crate in unison with the lever 3,moving .the engaging similarly serrated or ribbed and upper and lowersliding plates 5. toward or grooved inner faces of the relatively fixedfrom each other according to the direction friction plates 21, asalready described with 90 k fulcrum with one pair o in which the leversswing. reference to the :construction shown in'Figs. As will be seen,the described arrange. 1-to 5 of the drawings. In this instance mentConsistsy Ofa pair of levers each havhowever the sliding plates 5,1 arevarranged ing a pivotal connection at one side ofits in the front andv'rear of the pivotbolt 1,

f sliding plates and so that-,when the lever 31 is moved on its 95 alsoAa pivotal connection at the otherside of fulcrum toward the arms 41 itwill move its fulcrum, with another pair of the sliding said slidingplates simultaneously in oppoplates, so that the two sliding plates onsitedirections, one moving upwardly and opposite sides of the fulcrumofthe levers, the other downwardly', or in a direction peror-above andbelowy said bolt 1, in the popendicular to the axis of the bolt 1. The1.0

sition shown in Fig. 2, will be moved back length of the sliding platesand the swingl of and forth or toward and from each other in the leve-rsmay be such thatwhen the levers parallel planes by the combined actionof are distendedy to their full extent the sliding the, two levers, eachacting in conjunction plates will project beyond the friction plates l40 with the other in moving onepair of plates 21., as indicated in Fig.6 of the drawings. 105

in one direction and anotherpair simultane- The several parts. aresecured together and ously in the oppositev direction or towardprovision made for regulating the degree and from each other, and thefrictional reof frictional pressure Vbetween the serrated sistance dueto the contact of the serrated surfaces ofl thel sliding and relativelyfixed surfaces of the sliding plates with the serplates by meansv of anut on the bolt 1, to- 110 rated surfaces of the relatively stationarygether with a lock-nut and interposed spring or iXed plates will .beexerted in opposing the washer, as already described with referencemovement toward? or from each other of the to the. construction shown inFigs,l 1 to 5. of parts of the veh'cle to which the lever-arms thedrawings.

' 50 3 and 4 are connected, thus modifying or It will beseenthat inbothof theillustrated 115 controlling the. action yof the`spring-supembodiments ofmy invention frictional conported parts so as torelieve them and the tact between'the levers Band 4 or 3.1 and 41 isoccupants of the vehicle of sudden shocks preventedby the bosseslon thelevers, against and jars in passing over rough and uneven which thesliding plates abut, and these roads. The degree of frictionalresistance bosses also prevent any appreciable fric- 12( or pressurebetween the plates 2 and`5 may tional contact between the levers and thebe regulated by means of a nut 1b screwed sliding plates, while theserrated or equivaon the bolt 1, and held stationary by a locklentribbed and grooved. construction of the nut 1c, to maintain the serratedparts of the contacting surfaces of the friction plates friction platesin binding contact; a spring serve the double purpose of `increasing the12:

washer 1a being preferably interposed befrictional` area and assistingin guiding the tween said nut 1b and the outer face of sliding plates intheir reciprocatory movethe adjacentplate 2. Theslots 5b in which ments.It will yalso be .seen that whether the pintlesy on the levers, 3 ands 4work are thesliding platesarearrangedto move side- 6.5..V slightly#elongated, as showny in Figs. 2, 4 wise, as fshown infFi-gs. 2'to 5, orlengthwise, is

as shown in Figs. 6 to 8, they are kept in parallel planes throughoutthe length of their movement, and a frictional surface of large area ispresented creating a yielding resistance opposed to any force tending tomove the lever-arms toward or from each other, so as to prevent a quickreturn of a spring to its initial or normal position when compressed ordistended and avoid shocks and jars or disagreeable vibrations.

It will be understood of course that the position of the sliding plates,whether above and below the pivot bolt, or in front and rear thereof, asshown more clearly in Figs. 2 and 6, respectively, of the drawings,depends upon the position in which the device may be placed at the time,and the terms upper and lower and front and rear, as used herein, havereference to the position illustrated in the drawings, considering thesliding plate nearest the top of the sheet in Fig. 2 the upper one, andthe sliding plate nearest the right hand side of the sheet in Fig. 6 thefront one; and it is obvious that said sliding plates might vbe arrangedin various other positions, there being a sliding plate or plates oneach side of the fulcrum of the lever and one or more plates at one sideof the fulcrum being arranged to move in one direction while anotherplate or plates at the other side of such fulcrum is arranged to move inan opposite direction. Friction plates without serrated or ribbed andgrooved contacting surfaces may also be used, being otherwise adapted toproduce friction by sliding contact of one surface upon another togetherwith means for guiding the movements of the sliding plates in straightlines across the surface of the relatively fixed plates orperpendicularly to the axis of the fulcrum of the lever.

While I preferably employ a pair of sliding plates engaging frictionplates on both sides of the swinging lever and on opposite sides ofthefulcrum of the lever, it may be desirable in some cases to omit thefriction plates at one side, instead of using a pair of plates at eachside, and hence I do not desire to be limited to the use of such platesin pairs only, as it is obvious that one of the friction plates might beomitted; the lever 31, for example, might be formed or provided withpintles at one side thereof only engaging slots in sliding plates at thesame side of the lever but on opposite sides of its fulcrum, instead ofhaving pintles on both sides of the lever engaging a pair of slidingplates arranged on opposite sides of its fulcrum, as shown in Figs. 6, 7and 8 of the drawings.

Various other changes may be made in the details and in the form andarrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a device of the character described, a relatively fixed frictionplate having a serrated surface, a plurality of sliding plates havingserrated surfaces engaging the serrated surface of said fixed plate, arocking lever, means for securing said plates and lever together, andmeans on said lever engaging said sliding plates so as to cause them tomove in opposite directions when said lever is rocked.

2. In a device of the character described, a plurality of frictionplates having serrated inner faces, co-acting sliding plates havingserrated outer faces engaging the serrated faces of'said friction platesand parallel slots in the inner face thereof, a swinging lever `betweensaid sliding plates having a pintle at each side of its fulcrum engagingone of the slots in one of the sliding plates, and means for securingsaid parts together, whereby said sliding plates are movedsimultaneously in opposite directions when the lever is rocked.

3. In a ydevice of the character described, relatively fixed platesserrated on their inner faces, multiple sliding plates each having aserrated surface engaging the serrated face of one of said frictionplates and parallel slots in the other side thereof, and a pair oflevers fulcrumed on the same shaft each having pintles on opposite sidesof its fulcrum with those at one side engaging the slots in one of saidside sliding plates and those on the other side engaging slots inanother sliding plate.

4. In combination with relatively fixed friction plates having opposedserrated faces, movable plates having serrated faces engaging theserrations of said relatively fixed plates and a lever-arm or armsfulcrumed on a shaft connecting said relatively fixed plates and havingpivotal connections with said movable plates on opposite sides of saidfulcrum, whereby when the leverarm is rocked movement is imparted tosaid movableplates 'and the plates on opposite sides of said fulcrummoved simultaneously in opposite directions.

5. In combination with relatively fixed friction plates having opposedserrated faces, a lever-arm or arms fulcrumed on a shaft connecting saidplates, movable plates interposed between said lever-arms and saidfriction plates and having serrated faces engaging the serrations ofsaid friction plates, said lever-arms having pintles engaging oblongslots in said movable plates on opposite sides of said fulcrum, wherebywhen said lever-arms are rocked movement is imparted to said movableplates causing those on opposite sides of the fulcrum to slide inopposite directions.

6. In combination with relatively fixed friction plates friction plateshaving opposed 'serrated faces,'a lever-arin or arms fulcrumed on ashaft connecting said plates, movable plates interposed between saidlever-arms and said friction plates and having serrated faces engagingthe4 serrations of said friction plates, saidlever-arms having pintleson both sides thereof engaging oblong slots in said movable plates onoppositesides of said fulcrum, whereby when said lever-arms are rockedmovement able plates causing those on opposite sides of the fulcrum toslide in opposite directions. 11n-combination with relatively fixedfriction plates having opposed serrated faces, a pair of leversfulcrumedon a shaft connecting said plates, each lever having pintles onopposite sides thereof, friction plates on opposite sidesof said levershaving serrated faces `slidably engaging the serrations on saidrelativelyr fixed plates, and oblong slotstoreceive said pintles onopposite sides of said fulcrum, whereby the slidingplates arranged onopposite sides of the fulcrum of the lever are moved simultaneouslytoward and from each other by the combined action of the two levers.

8. In combination with relatively7 fixed having opposed serrated faces,and sliding plates each having a serrated face engaging the serrationsof one of said relatively fixed .plates and oblong slots inthe oppositefulcrumed on a shaft connecting said relav topics` of-this patent may beobtained for 4 plates is imparted to said movn side thereof, a leverbetweenv said sliding platesfulcrumed on a shaft confive cents each, byaddressing vthe tively fixed plates,-each leverhaving on opposite sidesthereof pintles engaging oblong slots in asliding plate or platesarranged on opposite sides of said fulcrum; the pintles atonev side ofeach .lever projecting beyondethe outer yside ofthe `other lever.

l0. A. shock absorber comprising friction having opposed frictionalsurfaces, one slidably engaging the other, and a pair of leversfulcrumed therebetween on the saine shaft, each lever having a pintle ateach side of its fulcrum, one pintle engaging a .slot in asliding :plate,arrangedy on one side of 'said fulcrum and the other pintle engaging aslot in another sliding plate arranged on the other'side of. saidfulcrum; said slidingplates having serrated faces engaging serratedfaces. of saidfriction plates.

ll. A shock absorber comprising relatively fixed and movable plateshaving -contacting frictional surfaces, and avlever fulcruinedk on a Ytogether, said lever having a pivotal connection at each side of itsful'crum with one bolt for securing 'said plates or more of said movableplates adapting two f or more plates to bevmoved simultaneously inopposite directions.

tacting frictional surfaces, oneof said contacting r surfaces, beingyfaced lwith wood havipg a metal backing,

gether, said leverhaving a pivotal connection at each side of itsfulcrum with one or HENRY B. xnirnn.

Witnesses: A

VGiras. E. LONG, v GEO. HAMMOND.

iommissioner of Patents,

Washingtom-D. C.

shock absorber comprising relai `tively fixed and movable plates havingcon-V and a lever fulcrunied on a-bolt for securing said plates toc Ymore of said movable plates adapting two or y

